This post is a little out of keeping with the blog’s usual dyspeptic take on life and publishing, and I apologize if I offend anyone. But today, dear readers, I am in love with my clients. No, I am in awe of them, inspired by them, grateful for them. And I’m not just talking about a certain someone whose life story garnered FIVE EMMYS on Sunday night including best actress and best movie made for television.
I’m talking about the ones who are toiling away without a whole lot of recognition, or working through crushing depression, or books that haven’t sold. I am so moved by the stories that are unfolding, sometimes even surprising the authors themselves. I am blown away by a few projects that have come in far more ambitious and accomplished than promised, and those who are wrestling their editorial letters to the ground, unclear who will prevail. And unexpected moments of politeness, or sweetness, or silliness with a writer long hardened by the process.
I am grateful for being the old woman who lives in this shoe, with this unruly pack of artists and thieves. Tomorrow, back to bile, blood-letting and general ill will.
Betsy Lerner 
Love those moments when I realize life is good.
Yes.
And flowers, too. A nice surprise.
Who are you and what have you done with our Betsy?
Ha. Kidding. Lovely post.
We enjoy the intermission. Back to the battle!
Was pleased to see footer (what do you call those things) in Sunday’s NYT on a book review about one of your authors’ forthcoming books . . .hooray Elisabeth! Knowing the essay around which the book is based (guessing from the title), it’s gonna be great!! Very excited.
No offense taken. O, Betsy, if only you could be agent for us all! Your blog is the next best thing. Thank YOU.
I can’t respond to this until my doctor ups my Prozac dose….I’m still not nice enough.
I adore creamy fillings.
I second that.
Love Temple Grandin. Awesome woman.
That’s wonderful about the show about Temple Grandin. I love her books–they really changed my thinking about a lot of things…
Wait just a minute . . . you live in a shoe?!
Shit-kickers, if I’m not mistaken.
When I watched the Temple Grandin movie, and she hauled off and hit someone, I remember thinking:
“Yes! Okay, so I’ve got a hitter-,but if Temple had the same issues, there’s hope for my 8 year old autistic kid who can’t talk much but has no problem making movies with his little HD video camera, downloading them to my laptop and them pulling them into my editing software and making short films.”
As his older brother (also autistic) said yesterday:
” Mom, he’s just trying to find his way in this world.”
Precious moments. 😉
For a chilling moment there I was afraid you had been somehow replaced with a pod person.
May you likewise bloom and grow, and grow some more and bloom again and grow and bloom in season evermore.
Nice to hear
Temple Grandin is amazing – congrats to both of you.
Nice. I’m having a sluggish post-holiday morning, and that cheered me up.